1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector with a protective cover, and more particularly to a connector with a protective cover in which the protective cover covers a connector housing and an exposed, fixed terminal, and also retains a connection terminal, provided in the connector housing, in a double manner.
2. Background
Usually, a rear window defogger (rear electric heating wire) is mounted on a rear window glass panel of an automobile so as to remove moisture and ice from the rear window glass panel to thereby secure a clear view. This rear window defogger includes an electric resistance wire printed in a meandering manner on the inner side of the rear window glass panel facing a compartment of the automobile. A male terminal, fixedly secured on the rear window glass panel, is connected to one end of the rear window defogger. A connector, having a female terminal connected to one end of a power source-side wire, is fitted on this exposed, fixed terminal, thereby electrically connecting the female terminal to the fixed male terminal.
More specifically, in electric wiring 1 of an automobile shown in FIG. 9, electric power is supplied to a rear window defogger 2 via a thick, power source-wire W extending from a battery 3 through a fuse box 4 to the vicinity of one end of the rear window defogger 2. A switch 5, mounted on an instrument panel, is turned on and off to activate and deactivate the rear window defogger 2. As shown in FIG. 10, a fixed terminal 8 is fixedly secured to a rear window glass panel 6, and is connected to the end of the rear window defogger 2, and the power source-side wire W is connected to the fixed terminal 8 through a connector 7 having a female terminal mounted therein.
As shown in FIG. 11, the connector 7 for fitting on the fixed terminal 8 fixedly mounted on the rear window glass panel has a terminal fitting opening 7b formed in its front end through which opening 7b the fixed terminal 8 is fitted in the connector 7. A terminal insertion opening (not shown) for inserting the female terminal, connected to the end of the power source-side wire W, into the connector 7, is formed in a rear end surface thereof. A holder 9 for retaining the female terminal in a double manner is hingedly connected to an outer surface of a connector housing 7a
For fitting the connector 7 on the fixed terminal 8, the female terminal is first inserted into the connector housing 7a, and is retained by a retaining lance (not shown) formed in the connector housing 7a. Then, the holder 9 is pivotally moved to be fitted into the connector housing 7a, thereby retaining the female terminal in a double manner. Then, the fixed terminal 8 is fitted in the terminal fitting opening 7b, so that the fixed terminal 8 and the female terminal are electrically connected together within the connector housing 7a
However, the fixed terminal (male terminal) 8 is partly exposed even after the fitting of the connector, and therefore needs to be electrically insulated. And besides, there is a chance that when the operator is to fit and disengage the connector 7, the fingers and so on are injured by an exposed edge of the male terminal.
If a cover is merely attached to the connector housing 7a, this increases the time and labor required for the assembling operation, and the connector of a relatively small size must be fitted, and the assembling efficiency is lowered.